Chapter 157.1: That Would Be Wise (2)

It was already one in the afternoon when they left the Chinese embassy. Kang Chan briefly told Lanok everything that had happened that day. Once he was done, Lanok took out his phone and called Vasili.

“Vasili, it’s Lanok.”

Lanok faintly smiled at Kang Chan as he spoke into his phone a few times.

“Yes, please withdraw the troops. I’ll contact you later,” Lanok said, then finally hung up. Not long after, he called another number.

“It’s Lanok. Order every unit that has been deployed to return to base. Please pass on my gratitude to Ludwig as well, and tell him that I’ll contact him by tomorrow. One last thing…” Lanok paused and quickly looked at Kang Chan. “Contact South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and send an official application for the STB. Report to me once it has been approved.”

Lanok hung up. He then turned his head and briefly looked at Choi Jong-Il’s car and the van that the members of the 606 were in. “The STB refers to the system that allows my country’s DGSE to share all information and guarantees the mutual security of the Intelligence Service’s agents.”

Kang Chan simply nodded.

“

Hahaha

!” Lanok burst out with laughter, his expression seemingly saying he found Kang Chan’s reaction funny.

The sly snake had been laughing too often these days.

“That means South Korea will get joint rights to use the satellites that my country’s DGSE manages,” Lanok explained. “China has been applying nonstop for the STB to the DGSE for the past five years, and Japan has been doing the same thing for the past ten years.” “Thank you, Mr. Ambassador.”

Kang Chan thought getting access to the STB was great and all, but it couldn’t seem to sink in right now.

“Did you really come to every decision you made this morning by yourself?” Lanok asked.

“Yes. I didn’t exactly have anyone I could have asked for help.”

Lanok smiled as he pursed his lips. “Was it also you who deployed South Korea’s special forces at the Chinese embassy?”

“I only managed to do that because I got the National Intelligence Service’s approval.”

“I see.” Lanok nodded.

Not long after, Seok Kang-Ho parked at the French embassy’s parking lot.

Swoosh!

Agents swiftly exited the building and surrounded the car.

“Mr. Kang Chan, do you have time to have tea with me?” Lanok asked.

That was a given.

As Kang Chan got out of the car, he noticed that Choi Jong-Il and the two vans that the members of the 606 used were parked in the parking lot as well.

“Wait here, Choi Jong-Il. You should deploy the members of the 606 somewhere inconspicuous,” Kang Chan ordered.

“Understood.”

Lanok silently waited for Kang Chan as he was giving orders. Afterward, they went up to the embassy.

The embassy was full of agents. Some stood in front of them, and two others walked behind them. They walked down the hallway on the second floor and opened the door to the office.

“Papa!” Even though she was limping, Anne quickly ran over and went into Lanok’s arms. Lanok stroked her head, then kissed it.

“Anne, you’ll be able to rest easy under any circumstances now, won’t you?” Lanok asked.

Anne nodded toward Lanok, then looked at Kang Chan. “Channy!”

Kang Chan stroked Anne’s back when she went into his arms.

“Raphael, I would like to enjoy some tea and cigars with Monsieur Kang,” Lanok requested.

“As you wish, Mr. Ambassador.”

“Right! Raphael.”

“Yes, Mr. Ambassador?” Raphael quickly looked at Lanok just before he could completely turn around.

“You’ve been through a lot today. You did well.”

“All of this was possible thanks to Monsieur Kang.”

Lanok nodded, and Raphael quickly left the room.

Lanok sat down at the table and took out a cigar from a case. At the same time, Kang Chan bit on a cigarette.

Chk chk.

It only felt real now for Kang Chan that he had rescued Lanok.

“Mr. Kang Chan, I would like to request that South Korea lighten the weight of the requests that they were going to ask Russia to fulfill as a courtesy for Vasili’s contribution to solving this incident. In return, I will make sure France compensates South Korea for anything that they’ll be lacking as a result,” Lanok said.

“Your safe return is already more than enough for me. I still haven’t done anything for you for connecting South Korea to the Eurasian Rail anyway,” Kang Chan said. As he was talking, Raphael brought over a teapot and poured them a cup of tea each.

Anne and Seok Kang-Ho sat in different seats at the back, drinking tea in what seemed like an awkward atmosphere.

“Nevertheless, you should still accept your well-earned compensation, Mr. Kang Chan. To that end, I hope that you can join me in a meeting with Suo Ke as soon as an appointment is made,” Lanok said.

***

Kang Chan’s conversation with Lanok lasted for about an hour. Once it was over, he returned the weapons and entrusted Xavier to Lanok before leaving the embassy.

It was around 2:30 pm.

Only half of the day had passed, but Kang Chan had such a long morning that he felt as if a week had gone by.

As per the embassy’s request, the members of the 606 stood guard all over the building. Hence, only Kang Chan, Seok Kang-Ho, and Choi Jong-Il’s party left the embassy.

“Let’s eat,” Seok Kang-Ho suggested.

“Sure. Everyone is probably already hungry. We should call Mr. Kim as well, shouldn’t we?” Kang Chan held up his phone and dialed Kim Hyung-Jung’s number.

- Mr. Kang Chan! It’s Kim Hyung-Jung.

His greeting got increasingly faster, making it seem as if he was stating his official rank and name.

“We have just left the French embassy.”

- What do you plan to do now?

“We all skipped lunch, so I was thinking of going somewhere to eat.”

Kim Hyung-Jung’s exhausted laugh carried over the call.

“You haven’t had lunch yet either, have you?”

- Everyone ranked deputy manager and above in the National Intelligence Service couldn’t eat with everything that was happening.

Kim Hyung-Jung’s laughter this time sounded as if he found the situation funny.

- Where are you going for lunch? I’ll head over.

Kang Chan looked at Seok Kang-Ho. “Where do you want to eat?”

“Well, if he’s joining, then why don’t we eat at the barbeque restaurant right in front of the office in Samseong-dong?”

Kang Chan told Kim Hyung-Jung about Seok Kang-Ho’s suggestion.

- Ah! I know that place. I’ll head on over right now.

“We’re still thirty minutes away from the restaurant, Mr. Manager.”

- Ah, Is that so? I’ll just wait until you’re a little closer, then.

Kang Chan hung up, then lowered the window about halfway.

“I was bored to death all morning. You seemed to be having one intense phone call after another, but I couldn’t understand anything you were saying so I couldn’t even play along. Should I just learn French?” Seok Kang-Ho commented.

“We didn’t talk about anything special.” Kang Chan draped his arm on the window as cold winds brushed past his face and his arm.

Autumn was just right around the corner, and there wasn’t that much traffic.

They reached their destination at around three in the afternoon. By the time they got there, Kim Hyung-Jung was already inside—and he was the only customer.

“I told you to wait for us to get here before you leave the office,” Kang Chan commented.

Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho sat at Kim Hyung-Jung’s table, and Choi Jong-Il’s party sat at the table next to them. Kang Chan wanted to eat a simple lunch, but Seok Kang-Ho suddenly ordered ten servings of galbi, leaving him with no other choice but to eat meat again.

They also ordered a few bottles of beer. Everyone filled up their glasses with it except for Kim Hyung-Jung.

“You went through a lot today, Mr. Manager. You all did as well,” Kang Chan said.

“Wow!” Seok Kang-Ho exclaimed, complimenting the side dishes he was eating.

“France’s DGSE has applied for the STB,” Kim Hyung-Jung told them.

“Ah, I already know about that. I was in the car with Lanok when he ordered someone to do that.”

“

Phew

.”

Kang Chan didn’t know why Kim Hyung-Jung suddenly sighed.

“We’re actually acting with extreme caution right now,” Kim Hyung-Jung said.

“Will it be difficult to clean up today’s incidents?” Kang Chan asked.

“The President has been making all the necessary calls to handle that. That being said, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that you have just done something impossible. Going toe-to-toe against China and the United States is bound to have heavy consequences.”

Seok Kang-Ho, who had been pouring him more beer, suddenly glanced at Kim Hyung-Jung.

“That’s all you’re drinking today. Keep in mind that you’re driving,” Kang Chan reminded Seok Kang-Ho.

“Alright.”

To Kang Chan, Seok Kang-Ho drinking and driving seemed like a bigger problem than China and the United States.

“Mr. Kang Chan, did Ambassador Lanok say anything else?” Kim Hyung-Jung asked.

“Well, he said that we should be compensated for our help and that he hopes we will make a few compromises with what we’re going to be requesting from Russia. They helped out in this incident as well, after all. In return, he said France will be making it up to us for whatever we’ll be lacking as a result.”

“

Haa

!” Kim Hyung-Jung sighed once more. As he did, the meat they ordered was served.

Eating whenever they could was for the best.

Seok Kang-Ho ate in silence. While Choi Jong-Il’s party ate a lot, Kang Chan and Kim Hyung-Jung only ate moderately.

“

Argh

! I feel good,” Seok Kang-Ho commented.

If Kang Chan ate as voraciously as Seok Kang-Ho did, he would’ve died.

After their meal, Kim Hyung-Jung asked, “Would you like to have some coffee as well?”

Kang Chan had actually been hoping someone would suggest that. Hence, after resting for a bit, they went to the specialty coffee shop in front of Kim Hyung-Jung’s office. They split into two groups and sat at two tables. Kang Chan, Seok Kang-Ho, and Kim Hyung-Jung sat together.

“Mr. Kang Chan, the President basically gambled with this incident,” Kim Hyung-Jung explained as coffee was served. “He may not have gambled when we deployed our special forces team in France. However, if even just one error was made, our troops being inside the Chinese embassy would have been seen as no different as being caught committing major wrongdoings in Chinese territory.”

“What should we do?”

“It depends on the situation and the factors at play, but in general, the most important thing to do in situations like this is to establish quick and seamless communications. To that end, if by any chance you are faced with a decision to make again, please contact me. It doesn’t matter what time it is.”

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.”

“

Phew

. It wouldn’t be wrong to assume that we’ll have difficulties asking for Russia’s oil development rights, then?” Kim Hyung-Jung asked.

“I’m not sure, but Ambassador Lanok did say that we will have to compromise to some degree, so wouldn’t that naturally be the case?”

Kim Hyung-Jung drank his cup of coffee with a disappointed look on his face, then proceeded to tell Kang Chan about a few other matters until his phone rang. Not long after, he left the specialty coffee shop.